tuatara

American  

[too-uh-tahr-uh] / ˌtu əˈtɑr ə /

Also tuatera

noun

1. a large, primarily nocturnal, lizardlike reptile, Sphenodon punctatum, of islands near the coast of New Zealand: the only surviving rhynchocephalian.

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tuatara British  

/ ˌtuːəˈtɑːrə /

noun

1. a greenish-grey lizard-like rhynchocephalian reptile, Sphenodon punctatus , occurring only on certain small islands near New Zealand: it is the sole surviving member of a group common in Mesozoic times

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Etymology

Origin of tuatara

1810–20; < Maori, equivalent to tua dorsal + tara spine

Example Sentences

Today, lizards and their close relatives, including snakes and the distinctive tuatara from New Zealand, form the most diverse group of land vertebrates.

From Science Daily

Seeking to learn about the evolutionary origins of acoustic communication in vertebrates, the scientists recorded 53 species from four major clades — turtles, tuatara, caecilians and lungfish — to analyze what they heard.

From Salon

She recalls hearing about tuatara vocalizations from her mother and others who were familiar with those animals.

From Scientific American

The creatures included 50 turtles, a tuatara, a lungfish and a caecilian.

From BBC

The aging rates for lizards and snakes were scattered but were remarkably low in certain crocodiles, salamanders and the enigmatic tuatara.

From New York Times